Public Works Director

Introduction to the City and Department: Join the City of Castle Pines, a community dedicated to thoughtful growth, strategic infrastructure investment, responsive public service and preservation of its natural character. The Public Works Director provides executive leadership for the City’s public infrastructure and helps shape transportation, stormwater, capital improvement, and public works programs consistent with City Council priorities and adopted plans. Team Environment: The Public Works Director is a key member of the City Manager's Leadership Team and works collaboratively across City departments and with elected officials, residents, developers, consultants, contractors, utilities, regional partners, and other governmental agencies. The Director fosters a high-performing, service-oriented team and promotes accountability, innovation, clear communication, sound decision-making, and operational excellence. General Purpose: Under the general direction of the City Manager, the Public Works Director plans, directs, manages, and oversees the programs, services, personnel, budgets, contracts, projects, and operations of the Public Works Department. The Director establishes departmental priorities, policies, service standards, performance measures, and long-range infrastructure strategies; provides executive oversight of the City's capital improvement program, transportation systems, public rights-of-way, stormwater utility and regulatory programs, asset management, development review, and contracted maintenance services; and provides highly responsible administrative and technical support to the City Manager and City Council. Key Responsibilities: Leadership and Organizational Management Serves as a member of the City Manager's Leadership Team and contributes to citywide strategic planning, policy development, organizational initiatives, and implementation of City Council priorities. Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the Public Works Department; establishes departmental goals, policies, service levels, performance measures, work plans, and priorities consistent with adopted plans and available resources. Leads, supervises, develops, and evaluates Public Works staff; establishes clear performance expectations, promotes professional development, and fosters a collaborative, accountable, customer-focused culture. Evaluates departmental organization, staffing, business processes, technology, and service delivery methods; recommends and implements improvements to increase effectiveness, efficiency, resilience, and accountability. Exercises independent judgment and discretion in resolving complex administrative, operational, technical, personnel, and service-delivery issues within delegated authority. Capital Improvement and Infrastructure Planning Oversees the City’s Capital Improvement Program, including project prioritization, funding, design, procurement, construction, budget, schedule, risk, and closeout. Develops long-range infrastructure and asset-management strategies using condition data, life-cycle costs, growth, risk, service levels, and adopted plans. Oversees municipal engineering and construction, coordinates major projects with utilities, developers, property owners, Douglas County, CDOT, and regional partners, and pursues appropriate grant and intergovernmental funding. Identifies and pursues appropriate local, state, federal, regional, grant, and intergovernmental funding opportunities for capital projects and infrastructure programs. Public Works Operations and Contract Management Directs public works operations and maintenance, including streets, rights-of-way, pavement, snow and ice control, sweeping, striping, sidewalks, curb and gutter, signs, and related infrastructure. Establishes and administers professional, construction, maintenance, and operational contracts, including scopes, service standards, quality expectations, costs, schedules, invoices, change orders, and contractor performance. Monitors consultant and contractor performance, costs, schedules, invoices, quantities, change orders, regulatory compliance, and quality of work; resolves performance issues and takes corrective action when necessary. Sets appropriate staffing and contractor service levels and oversees asset inventories, work-order systems, GIS, condition data, and related tools used to plan and document services. Transportation and Right-of-Way Provides leadership for transportation planning and operations, roadway safety, pavement management, multimodal improvements, traffic signals, signs, striping, and related infrastructure. Implements applicable transportation master plans and coordinates transportation priorities with land use, development, capital planning, maintenance, and regional mobility objectives. Oversees public right-of-way activities, permits, utility coordination, construction impacts, restoration, and coordination with Douglas County, CDOT, neighboring jurisdictions, and regional partners. Stormwater, Drainage, and Environmental Compliance Through the City’s Stormwater Manager, oversees the City’s stormwater utility, drainage and water-quality programs, capital planning, maintenance, flood mitigation, and related infrastructure. Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local stormwater and environmental requirements, including MS4 obligations, erosion and sediment control, post-construction requirements, drainage review, inspection, and enforcement. Assists the City’s Stormwater Manager with stormwater, drainage, and floodplain matters with developers, consultants, regulators, regional partners, and other jurisdictions. Development Review and Engineering Provides executive oversight of Public Works participation in development review, including transportation, drainage, grading, utility coordination, right-of-way, construction documents, public improvements, and infrastructure acceptance. Ensures development-related infrastructure meets City standards, adopted plans, operational needs, and long-term maintenance expectations. Works collaboratively with Community Development, applicants, developers, consultants, and partner agencies to resolve complex technical issues and facilitate timely, consistent, and high-quality development review. Recommends updates to engineering, construction, right-of-way, drainage, and infrastructure standards based on regulatory changes, industry practices, operational experience, and community needs. Budget, Financial Management, and Procurement Develops and monitors Public Works operating and capital budgets and forecasts funding needs for personnel, contracts, maintenance, equipment, technology, and capital improvements. Provides long-range financial planning and recommendations on project timing, funding sources, service levels, and resource allocation. Approves expenditures within delegated authority, ensures sound financial controls and procurement practices, and presents financial, operational, and project recommendations to the City Manager and City Council. Community, Council, and Intergovernmental Relations Represents the Public Works Department before the City Council, boards and commissions, community and neighborhood organizations, professional groups, other governmental agencies, and external partners. Prepares and presents staff reports, policy recommendations, project updates, budget information, technical analyses, and other materials at regular and special City Council meetings as assigned. Partners with the Communications Department to provide proactive, accurate, and timely public information regarding major projects, construction impacts, service disruptions, infrastructure conditions, schedules, and Public Works priorities. Establishes a responsive, customer-focused approach to Public Works services; ensures resident inquiries and concerns are addressed courteously, consistently, and in a timely manner. Builds and maintains productive relationships with contractors, consultants, developers, utilities, community organizations, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and local, regional, state, and federal agencies. Attends and participates in professional organizations and maintains current knowledge of trends, technology, regulations, funding opportunities, and best practices in public works administration. Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations Provides leadership during severe weather, infrastructure failures, flooding, roadway incidents, and other emergencies affecting City infrastructure or Public Works services. Coordinates departmental response and recovery activities with the City Manager, public safety agencies, contractors, utilities, Douglas County, the Colorado Department of Transportation, and other partners as appropriate. Supports emergency preparedness, continuity-of-operations planning, and after-action improvements; may be required to respond outside normal working hours. Skill Requirements: Knowledge of municipal public works leadership, strategic planning, organizational management, budgeting, capital planning, procurement, contracting, grant funding, and performance management. Knowledge of municipal engineering, transportation, roadway operations, including signalization, construction, infrastructure maintenance, stormwater, drainage, water quality, environmental requirements, asset management, and emergency management. Strong leadership, supervision, project and program management, analytical, communication, negotiation, collaboration, conflict-resolution, and decision-making skills, including the ability to present complex issues clearly to elected officials, residents, staff, and partners. Ability to communicate complex technical and policy information clearly to elected officials, residents, staff, contractors, consultants, and other stakeholders through written reports, presentations, and public meetings. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, facilitate collaboration, negotiate solutions, resolve conflict, and manage politically sensitive or high-visibility issues. Ability to use technology applicable to the position, including Microsoft Office, GIS and mapping applications, traffic signal software, electronic plan-review tools, asset-management systems, and project-management software. Educational Background and Experience: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field. Master's degree is preferred. Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in public works, municipal engineering, infrastructure management, construction management, transportation, or a closely related field. Minimum of three (3) years of management or supervisory experience required. Experience in municipal government, capital improvement programming and delivery, contracted public works operations, transportation and roadway infrastructure, development review, public procurement, consultant/contractor management, grants, or intergovernmental partnerships is highly desirable. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. Licenses and Certifications: Valid Colorado driver’s license Physical Demands and Work Environment: Work is performed in office and field settings, including construction sites, roadways, rights-of-way, drainage facilities, and other outdoor locations. The position requires travel to City facilities and infrastructure, and the ability to traverse uneven terrain in varying weather conditions. Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, use hands and fingers, reach, and operate standard office equipment; may occasionally stoop, kneel, crouch, or climb to inspect field conditions. Must be able to perform the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Occasional evening meetings and limited travel are required. After-hours response may be necessary during severe weather, infrastructure emergencies, or other significant events. #J-18808-Ljbffr